Dell Upgrades XPS Gaming Platform

The new system, called the XPS Gen 3, can be configured with either a Pentium 4 560 (3.6 GHz) or a Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.4 GHz processor. Both configurations come standerd with 512MB of DDR2 memory, a 256MB PCI-Express ATI Radeon X800 XT graphics card, and a serial-ATA hard drive. It also comes standard with a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 sound card and a 460-watt power supply.

The XPS Gen 3 system, housed in a Venice blue chassis with midnight gray and brushed silver accents, also sports some attractive new visual design changes. The Dell badge and shield glow bright blue on the front of the chassis and this color can be selected in the BIOS setup from seven color options.

Chassis Design: XPS systems are easy to open, upgrade and expand with the tool-less entry chassis. The chassis comes standard with, two front 2.0 USB ports, a front IEEE1394 port, and front headphone and microphone jacks, which are easily accessible behind a fold-away door. Thermal control features include dedicated internal fans for the CPU, power supply and PCI & AGP cards. In addition, the power supply is in a separate compartment to minimize its effects on the system. The cable management system organizes multiple wires and allows for ease of system expansion.

Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.

Power Supply: The XPS is packed with 460W power supply that is located in a separate compartment along the bottom chassis to minimize the heat transferred to other critical components.

Cooling Systems: Two dedicated low profile fans quietly provide cooling to the power supply. Two additional chassis fans draw air across the CPU, keeping the system cool and quiet. One more fan drives air across the PCI and AGP cards to keep them cool while running.

XPS Support: The Dell XPS Support Team. Not just game savvy technicians, but serious players, too. When XPS customers dial the Dell Support 800# and enter their express service code, they are routed to a dedicated queue of special technicians specially trained on the Dimension XPS.

Processor: Intel Pentium 4 Processor speeds up to 3.20GHz with Hyper-Threading Technology, which allows high processing speeds for multiple applications. Intel processor also features 800Mhz Front Side Bus (FSB) and uses the Intel 875P chipset, including on-die 1MB cache for lightning-fast speed.

Storage: Hard drives from 80GB to 250GB at 7200RPM to meet your storage needs. For maximum performance, SATA-RAID configurations are available using the integrated Intel ICH5R RAID controller. Three internal 3.5-inch storage bays included for additional hard drive storage devices. All storage components are easily accessible with the new chassis design and cable management system for future expandability. Two integrated SATA (Serial ATA) ports are provided for future expansion with SATA drives.

Drive Bay Options: Three 5.25-inch drive bays for your choices from the following drives: CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-RW, CDRW/DVD combination (for creating custom data and audio CDs), and DVD+RW/+R (which allows you to write to DVD+R media). Also available on your Dimension XPS is an external 3.5-inch bay for a floppy drive.

Modem: V.90 DataFax Modem supports up to 56Kbps download and 33.6Kbps upload to provide basic data and fax modem functions. Upgrade to V.92 Capable Telephony Modem (up to 56Kpbs download and 33.Kbps upload), which also supports voice communication so you can take phone calls through your PC or use it as your phone and answering machine.

Keyboard & Mouse: All Dimension desktops come standard with a color-coordinated Dell QuietKeyTM keyboard with adjustable typing angles, improved feel and PS2 compatible. The matching Dell PS/2 mouse provides a comfortable shape, which conforms to the palm, has 2-buttons, including the fast wheel scrolling which allows you to move through documents quickly. Upgrade your keyboard to Dell Enhanced Multimedia keyboard and Logitech Optical mouse that is shaped for left and right-handed users.